A politician who fancies his or her chances as president, starts exploring the possibility through a committee and raises money. This process can start as early as two years before the poll. Eventually the candidates formally announce their candidacy, and start campaigning in the main states.
Between January and June of the election year, the contest is within the parties to choose their presidential nominee in what are called the primaries.
Voters in states choose party delegates, most of whom have pledged their support to a specific candidate. In some states, a local meeting system called caucus is used.
The national party conventions, organized a few months before the election, are where the candidates are officially nominated.
By the time the party convention is held, both parties have a presidential nominee, and the two now gear up for the big fight.
Huge ad budgets and televised debates are a major feature of the modern US campaign. The last push in the battle is made in the ‘swing states’ — a group of around one dozen states such as Ohia and Iowa, where the outcome is by no means certain.
On voting day in November, the candidate, who wins most of the swing states makes it to the White House.
Reference:
Media Reports
U.S. Presidential Election 2012
The 57th quadrennial U.S. Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Throughout 2012, presidential hopefuls have set out on campaigns across the country, appearing at debates and speeches, vying for the presidential seat.
Statewide primary elections and caucuses to select the Republican nominee lasted from January 3 continuing through May 29, when Mitt Romney achieved the necessary 1,144 delegates, and June 5, when Romney received additional binding delegates, securing the spot for Republican presidential nominee.
The two major political parties select their candidates during their national conventions, scheduled for the week of August 27 for the Republican Party and September 3 for Democrats. In April 2011, incumbent President Barack Obama declared his intent to run for a second term, and will be the Democratic nominee. The Republican Party selected their candidate over the first half of 2012, which determined that Mitt Romney will oppose President Obama at the polls in November. Some third party candidates have been selected, and others will be selected during their respective national conventions in 2012.
Once the nominees are officially selected, the race to 270 electoral votes begins. The 2012 elections will be the first since the shift in electoral vote distribution following the 2010 Census, which could affect the outcome of the election. The change is effectively a net loss of electoral votes for the Democratic Party. Once the president is chosen by voters, the president will be inaugurated and take office. Inauguration Day will be Sunday, January 20. 2013. “Election Timeline” with respect to 2012 US Presidential Election refers to the timetable or schedule maintained and followed by different parties for a smooth and successful completion of the election procedures. In fact, a properly arranged Election Timelines are of utmost requirement for a hassle-free operation during national elections, involving millions of voters.
Mentioned below, is a detailed 2012 Election Timeline with respect to the 2012 Presidential Election in United States. More or less, the scheduling of the election activities of different parties in various states is clearly described here:
Timeline of US Election Major Events |
| Date | Events |
|---|---|
| January 3 | Ron Paul won the Iowa Republican caucuses and the Democratic caucuses were won by Barack Obama. |
| January 4 | Representative Michele Bachmann announces the withdrawal of her Presidential campaign |
| January 7 | Republican debate in Goffstown, New Hampshire |
| January 8 | Republican debate at the Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire |
| January 10 | The New Hampshire Republican primary is won by Mitt Romney and New Hampshire Democratic primary by Barack Obama. |
| January 16 | Jon Huntsman, who came in third in New Hampshire, withdraws from the race and endorses Mitt Romney. |
| January 16 | Recount in Iowa shows that Rick Santorum won the Republican caucuses. |
| January 16 | Republican debates at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina |
| January 19 | Rick Perry, who came in sixth in New Hampshire, withdraws from the race and endorses Newt Gingrich. |
| January 19 | Republican debate in Charleston, South Carolina |
| January 21 | The Nevada Democratic Caucuses are won by Barack Obama |
| January 21 | The South Carolina Republican primary is won by Newt Gingrich. |
| January 23 | Republican debate at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida |
| January 26 | Republican debate in Jacksonville, Florida |
| January 28 | The South Carolina Democratic primary is won by Barack Obama. |
| January 31 | The Florida Republican primary is won by Mitt Romney. The Florida Democratic primary is won by Barack Obama. |
| February 2 | Roseanne Barr, actress, announces her candidacy for the Green Party presidential nomination. |
| February 4 | Nevada Republican caucuses are won by Mitt Romney. |
| February 4 | Voting began in the Maine Republican caucuses: Paul gaining 21 delegates, and Romney 3. |
| February 7 | The Minnesota Republican caucuses are won by Rick Santorum. |
| February 7 | The Missouri Democratic Primary and Minnesota caucuses are won by Barack Obama. The Missouri Republican Primary is won by Rick Santorum, although the contest does not affect how Missouri’s GOP delegates are awarded. |
| February 7 | The Colorado Republican caucuses are won by Rick Santorum. |
| February 11 | Voting concludes in the Maine Republican caucuses, Mitt Romney is declared the winner. |
| February 22 | Republican candidates debate on CNN in Phoenix, AZ. |
| February 28 | Arizona Republican Primary won by Mitt Romney. |
| February 28 | Michigan Republican Primary won by Mitt Romney. |
| February 29 | Wyoming caucuses won by Mitt Romney. |
| March 3 | Washington state Republican caucuses |
| March 6 | (Super Tuesday) |
| March 6 | Alaska Republican district conventions |
| March 6 | Colorado Republican caucuses |
| March 6 | Georgia primary |
| March 6 | Idaho Republican caucuses |
| March 6 | North Dakota Republican caucuses |
| March 6 | Massachusetts primary |
| March 6 | Minnesota Republican caucuses |
| March 6 | Ohio primary |
| March 6 | Oklahoma primary |
| March 6 | Tennessee primary |
| March 6 | Vermont primary |
| March 6 | Virginia primary |
| March 10 | Kansas Republican caucuses are won by Rick Santorum. |
| March 10 | Virgin Islands Republican caucuses are won by Ron Paul, but most of the delegates were awarded to Mitt Romney. |
| March 11 | Maine Democratic caucuses |
| March 13 | Alabama Republican primary; Hawaii, and American Samoa Republican caucuses; Mississippi Democratic and Republican Primaries; Utah Democratic caucuses |
| March 17 | Missouri Republican caucuses |
| March 18 | Puerto Rico Republican caucuses |
| March 20 | Mitt Romney wins the Illinois primaries |
| March 24 | Louisiana primaries |
| March 31 | Arizona Democratic caucuses |
| April 3 | Maryland, Wisconsin, Washington DC primaries |
| April 10 | Former US Senator Rick Santorum suspends his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. |
| April 14 | Idaho Democratic caucuses, Kansas Democratic caucuses, Nebraska Democratic caucuses, Wyoming Democratic caucuses |
| April 15 | Alaska Democratic caucuses, Washington Democratic caucuses |
| April 18-21 | 2012 Constitution Party National Convention held in Nashville, Tennessee |
| April 21 | Former US Congressman Virgil Goode wins the presidential nomination of the Constitution Party |
| April 24 | Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island primaries – won by Mitt Romney |
| April 25 | Republican National Committee declares Mitt Romney the presumptive nominee of the party. |
| May 2 | Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich suspended his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination and endorsed Mitt Romney. |
| May 4-6 | The 2012 Libertarian National Convention held in Las Vegas, Nevada.. Ron Paul wins the majority of delegates in Nevada and Maine. |
| May 5 | Former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson wins the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party |
| May 5 | Michigan Democratic caucuses, Florida Democratic caucuses |
| May 8 | Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia primaries |
| May 15 | Nebraska, and Oregon primaries |
| May 22 | Arkansas, and Kentucky primaries |
| May 29 | Texas primaries |
| May 31 | Buddy Roemer ends his presidential campaign. |
| June 3 | Puerto Rico Democratic caucuses |
| June 5 | California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota primaries; North Dakota Democratic caucuses |
| June 26 | Utah primaries |
| June 29 | Political consultant Fred Karger suspends his Presidential campaign |
| July 12-15 | Jill Stein wins the presidential nomination of the Green Party at the party’s nominating covention held in Baltimore, Maryland. Cheri Honkala is the party’s vice-presidential nominee. |
| August 11 | Paul Ryan, house budget chairman, is announced as Mitt Romney vice presidential candidate. |
| August 27-30 | The 2012 Republican National Convention to be held in Tampa, Florida. |
| September 3-6 | The 2012 Democratic National Convention to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina. |
| Oct 3 | First Presidential Debate at University of Denver in Denver, Colorado |
| Oct 11 | Vice Presidential Debate at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky |
| Oct 16 | Second Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York |
| Oct 22 | Third Presidential Debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida |
| November 6 | Election Day |
| December 17 | Electoral College formally elects a President and Vice President |
| January 6 | Electoral votes formally counted before a joint session of Congress; the President of the Senate formally announces the electoral result. |
| January 20 | Inauguration Day |
From the above Election Schedule, one can form a very good and clear idea about the election dates with respect to different American states as well as the last date for the registration of potential candidates. It also mentions the duration of the election dates in these states and also states the names of the offices and posts that are to be filled in through this election. In fact, the 2012 Election Timetable is a brief routine about all the election-related activities in United States of America.